Wireless communication devices exchange wireless signals over the air with wireless access nodes. The wireless access nodes provide access to various communication services, such as web browsing, voice calling, text messaging, and the like. The exchange of wireless signals is affected by the structural environment inhabited by the wireless communication device and the wireless access nodes.
A wireless communication device that is located on the ground in a downtown area must communicate through various buildings and structures—referred to as ground clutter. If the wireless communication device moves to the upper floors of a tall building, then it no longer communicates through as much ground clutter. Thus, a wireless communication device typically has a better wireless signal strength at the top of a building as opposed to the bottom of the building. Since signal strength correlates to elevation, the received signal strength can be used to estimate the elevation at a given location.